Veterans Day - 2018
The temporary occupant of the Oval Office, Donald J. Trump went to France and was scheduled to take part in a ceremony honoring those who fell at the Battle of Belleau Wood. But it was raining and the Trump administration claimed that Mr. Trump couldn't get to the ceremony without using a helicopter. Did they not have a rain contingency?
Ben Rhodes was an adviser and speechwriter in the Obama Administration.
So is this a case of this administration being run without proper planning, or simply a case of a man who doesn't care enough about doing his job to deal with inclement weather.
That's President John F. Kennedy and French President Charles de Gaulle on May 31, 1961. They are paying tribute, in the rain, at the tomb of the French Unknown Soldier.
* * *
Today is Veterans Day. This is the day where we honor all who served, not just those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This holiday began as Armistice Day in 1919. On this date in 1918, at 11 minutes past the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the guns of World War I fell silent.
It is a very important moment in the history of not just this nation, but the entire planet. And because it might have mussed his hair, Donald Trump couldn't be bothered to go out into the rain and pay tribute to those who fell in a pivotal battle to end that war.
As some of you know, I try to find examples of military personnel who aren't well known to history to salute on this day.
That is a WC-130 aircraft, the kind that flies into the eye of hurricanes and typhoons. The same type of aircraft that was being flown by a crew with the call-sign "Swan 38" on October 12, 1974. They were part of the 54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (WRS) and were making a "penetration" of Typhoon Bess. Six crewmembers aboard were never seen or heard from again after communications were lost. Let us never forget their names:
Captain Edward R. Bushnell
1st Lieutenant Gary W. Crass
1st Lieutenant Michael P. O'Brien
1st Lieutenant Timothy J. Hoffman
Technical Sergeant Kenneth G. Suhr
Sergeant Detlef W. Ringler
My own 15 month tour on Guam was spent in a building near the end of the runway where the 54th WRS aircraft took off and landed as part of their mission as "Typhoon Chasers." The squadron I was assigned to maintained their aircraft.
The men and women of our military do not let weather ever stop them from performing their duties.
What does it say when a Commander-in-Chief can't even deal with a little rain to pay tribute to those who laid their lives on the line?
Ben Rhodes was an adviser and speechwriter in the Obama Administration.
I helped plan all of President Obama’s trips for 8 years. There is always a rain option. Always. https://t.co/exZNlONQOp— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) November 10, 2018
So is this a case of this administration being run without proper planning, or simply a case of a man who doesn't care enough about doing his job to deal with inclement weather.
That's President John F. Kennedy and French President Charles de Gaulle on May 31, 1961. They are paying tribute, in the rain, at the tomb of the French Unknown Soldier.
* * *
Today is Veterans Day. This is the day where we honor all who served, not just those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This holiday began as Armistice Day in 1919. On this date in 1918, at 11 minutes past the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the guns of World War I fell silent.
It is a very important moment in the history of not just this nation, but the entire planet. And because it might have mussed his hair, Donald Trump couldn't be bothered to go out into the rain and pay tribute to those who fell in a pivotal battle to end that war.
As some of you know, I try to find examples of military personnel who aren't well known to history to salute on this day.
Captain Edward R. Bushnell
1st Lieutenant Gary W. Crass
1st Lieutenant Michael P. O'Brien
1st Lieutenant Timothy J. Hoffman
Technical Sergeant Kenneth G. Suhr
Sergeant Detlef W. Ringler
My own 15 month tour on Guam was spent in a building near the end of the runway where the 54th WRS aircraft took off and landed as part of their mission as "Typhoon Chasers." The squadron I was assigned to maintained their aircraft.
The men and women of our military do not let weather ever stop them from performing their duties.
What does it say when a Commander-in-Chief can't even deal with a little rain to pay tribute to those who laid their lives on the line?
posted by me at 7:16 AM
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